High vacuum pumps – everything you need to know

Are you in the market for industrial vacuum pumps for your research laboratory or manufacturing facility? Vacuum pumps are essential equipment used in a wide range of industries, such as healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and electronics. One of the types of vacuum pumps gaining popularity today is high vacuum pumps. In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about high vacuum pumps and how they operate.

What are high vacuum pumps?

In a vacuum, the pressure is less than the pressure of our atmosphere. A high vacuum pump helps to reduce air pressure below atmospheric pressure levels, commonly achieved through the use of mechanical pumping. High vacuum pumps can reach an ultra-high vacuum, defined as the range between 10^-7 to 10^-12 torr. They are typically used in applications where extreme vacuums are required, such as in semiconductor or analytical laboratories.

How do high vacuum pumps work?

High vacuum pumps operate by removing gas molecules from a sealed chamber to create a vacuum. There are two primary types of high vacuum pumps: diffusion and turbomolecular. Diffusion pumps involve heating oil and allowing it to evaporate in a high vacuum chamber. The vaporized oil molecules collide with gas molecules and remove them from the chamber. Turbomolecular pumps use rapidly spinning blades or vanes to trap gas molecules in the rotor blades and remove them from the vacuum chamber. These pumps are capable of achieving ultra-high vacuums.

Benefits of high vacuum pumps

High vacuum pumps offer several benefits for industries that require precise and complex vacuum environments, such as semiconductor and analytical laboratories. Here are a few advantages of using high vacuum pumps:

• Higher pumping speeds for quicker pumpdown times compared to other types of vacuum pumps.

• Ability to achieve ultra-high vacuum.

• Low contamination due to a lack of oil or other lubricant in the vacuum chamber.

• Low maintenance requirements.

• Less noise pollution compared to other types of vacuum pumps.

Choosing the right high vacuum pump for your needs

When selecting a high vacuum pump, several factors must be taken into account, such as the required vacuum range, pumping speed, and performance versus operating cost. The most commonly used high vacuum pumps are diffusion and turbomolecular pumps, although other types of pumps may be a better fit for your specific application. Properly sizing a vacuum pump requires consideration of the pumping speed at the lowest pressure required for the process.